For all its benefits, glass has one unfortunate flaw: it’s very prone to breaking. This can be frustrating and costly for businesses that ship glass products to customers. If the trip is too rough or the packaging too sparse, the items can shatter and get delivered that way to unhappy customers. Follow these dos and don’ts of shipping glass products to avoid problems in your company.
Don’t: Make the Box Too Big or Too Small
A box that is too large will give too much room for the products to jostle around. Likewise, a box that is too small won’t allow enough room for cushioning. That’s why proper packaging is so important for shipping goods—it prevents breakage by adapting to the product.
Measure your items carefully and choose a box that fits snugly, allowing for ideal protection without unnecessary space.
Do: Wrap Each Glass Item Individually
You want to make sure there’s no chance that your glass products crash into each together and break in their box. To do that, you need to wrap each item individually. You can use bubble wrap or paper for this protection. That way, if your products do bump each other, only the cushioning will touch, and that won’t break.
You could also consider a foam board with cutouts to hug each glass item, but this is best for products that come as a set.
Don’t: Neglect Void Fill
Even though you’re wrapping each item individually, you still can’t neglect void fill. This will prevent jostling even more and help absorb any external impacts. Fill your package’s gaps with packing peanuts, crumpled paper, or air pillows to prevent movement within the box. The more void fill you use, the better protection your products will have.
Do: Choose Reputable, Careful Shipping Partners
It doesn’t matter how perfectly packaged your products are if you have a shipping partner that is rough with the boxes. Do your research, ask your network, and trust your instinct as you search for a partner. Doing this will better ensure you hire a company that will treat every one of your packages with care, which is especially important with fragile items like glass.
Follow these dos and don’ts of shipping glass products if you want them to reach customers safe and sound. This is important for protecting your company’s reputation and making your customers happy.